Ukraine’s Lomachenko turns pro

KIEV: Ukraine’s amateur boxing star Vasyl Lomachenko has signed a contract with the Top Rank professional boxing promotion company based in Las Vegas, his team announced on Monday.

“The inaugural professional bout of the two-time Olympic champion Lomachenko will take place in Las Vegas on October 12,” they said in a statement.

The 25-year-old southpaw’s opponent has yet to be decided but should he win, he will then look for a world title bout.

Lomachenko, who was born in the Odessa region, won gold medals at 2008 and 2012 Olympics. He has also won two world boxing titles in 2009 and 2011, along with a European championship gold medal in 2008.

Lomachenko is considered one of the best amateurs in recent years, losing his only bout to Russia’s Albert Selimov in the 2007 world championship final.